Section 215 of the 2001 anti-terrorism law has been used to justify domestic spying programs employed by the NSA, despite a clear limitation on whom the government can collect information. At some point since its passage, however, the government came up with its own interpretation that says something entirely different.

Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), who sponsored the law, contends that the NSA is defying congressional intent as the provision only allows intelligence agencies to seize records related to an actual investigation into terrorist activity.

“The phone records of innocent Americans do not relate to terrorism, whatsoever; and they are not reasonably likely to lead to information that relates to terrorism,” said Sensenbrenner in a speech last month at the Cato Institute. “Put simply, the phone calls we make to our friends, our families, and business associates are private and have nothing to do with terrorism or the government’s efforts to stop it.”

A day after this story, on Wednesday, the Huffington Post reported that a FISC judge, in 2010, warned the NSA was dangerously close to violating the law because of unauthorized surveillance programs, which could’ve resulted in criminal penalties. What did the judge do? He gave the intelligence agency room to expand its surveillance programs.

So while much of the country has been focused by Obamacare, filibuster fights and other political, you’re government, in bipartisan fashion, is fighting any inkling of transparency, still violating your privacy and is, in fact, trying to enhance and codify those spying programs.